Thursday, January 29, 2015

Last week I mentioned the precious family I found via a Prayer Page while looking for kiddos to pray for. My heart was guided to create for them. I'm happiest using my paper passion to bring love and sunshine to those in need. First I made a card for her parents (found HERE), which I hope they love as much as you all did.

Today I have my card for sweet Audrey, the precious 1.5-year-old child who is battling an abundance of serious health issues... and has been since she was born. It is heartbreaking.

Her beautiful eyes are unable to be opened right now, as she is on a form of life support to help her body heal from some of her health conditions. I wanted something extra bright and cheerful to greet her when she awakes:

The moment I saw this rainbow shaped card cut file on Cardmaking Paradise, I had to make it for Audrey. She endures so much, but I truly believe her rainbow is coming. This is a tangible declaration of it. :o) I wish my pictures were better, but I think the love still shines through.

My papers are from various Doodlebug Designs collections. Wee ones like her love color and patterns, so I used an assortment. My sentiment is from Whimsical Designs, which I stamped upon a sunbeam-filled paper and cut it out with a Spellbinders Nested Lacy Pennant. The enamel dot accents are from Doodlebug's spring assortment.

My sprinkles of love are made with the Memory Box Precious Hearts, which hang from Strawberry Cupcake Trendy Twine. Rather than a simple embossed cloud, I opted to fill it with rainbow butterflies. :o) During these terrifyingly dark days, divine transformation is happening within her. The sun was made with My Craft Spot's Lacy Banners, as I felt a peek of sunshine made this even happier.

The interior is just pink (pure pink love!), so as not to interfere with the patterns when viewed from an angle. I love this little girl with all of my heart and I pray this brings a smile to her fighting heart.

If you want to support this family and follow Audrey's journey, her Facebook prayer page is Audrey's Army. She is approaching 10K prayer warriors and I am honored to be one of them! Want to know something fun? Unbeknownst to me at first, this little angel is just down the road from me. It's nice to bless someone in my area. :o)

Thursday, January 22, 2015

As you all know, the I Feel the Love Project has defined my crafty life over the past few years. Creating for charity has been my paper crafting purpose. On January 1st, sweet Madison announced its unexpected ending due to circumstances within her family. I honestly felt lost most of that week, as a huge part of my mission was gone.

Shortly thereafter, I was perusing prayer pages to find more kids to pray for. One in particular tugged on my heartstrings and I spent a considerable amount of time learning more about this child and her family. I'm honored to be making cards not only for the precious girl who is battling numerous health problems, but also for her siblings and parents. When one suffers, all who love her do as well.

My first card is for her parents, who I very quickly came to love. The 'me' in this sentiment is not me... rather, this is essentially for them to give each other. They share the most beautiful love and this is a celebration of it.

The stress and heartache they have endured since their daughter's birth often drive apart marriages. Thankfully, they have only grown closer and it is beyond inspiring. Love never fails and I believe with all of my heart that their unyielding connection is a big reason why their little girl is still here fighting. They certainly have no time, resources, or energy to spoil one another with a tiny handmade gift... so I'm doing it for them. :o)

"You & Me" is from My Craft Spot's Tiny Tags 2 stamp set, which I've nestled within a Prima resin heart. I adhered varying sizes of pearls inside, as love is ever bubbling up within them. To make it appear as a hanging heart, I placed two pretty roses atop it and Cheery Lynn Designs Mini Fanciful Flourishes (right and left). Fluttering nearby is my favorite Cheery Lynn butterfly from the Small Exotic Butterflies #1 set.

A soft and sweet bouquet adorns the entire corner, as their relationship continues to blossom despite dire circumstances. All are from Wild Orchid Crafts, with more Cheery Lynn vines beneath. The flowers are covered in Shimmer Spritz for a pretty sparkle. The side panel is embossed with the Cuttlebug Baby's Breath embossing folder, which is accented with pearls. The pearl trim and church window guipure lace are from The Ribbon Girl.

My card base is made with the Cheery Lynn Horizon Square Boutique Stacker Frames set. The floral paper is from Maja Design's Sofiero collection (retired), while the hearts and solid pink are from Maja's Coffee in the Arbour collection.

I hope with all of my heart that the sweet recipients enjoy it. Thank you for visiting and have a blessed day! :o)

Friday, January 16, 2015

Hello, sweet friends! A sparkly welcome to my new friends/followers! I'm delighted you're here. :o) After a bout with a bug, I am back and have a little friendship card to share.

My arm injury remains an issue for most things, but I am grateful to be able to color again without pain! **happy dance** One of my crafty goals this year is to strengthen my Copic work. Coloring makes me happy and I am eager to improve.

Santa gave me purple goodies for Christmas, so I had no choice but to play with my favorite color again. ;) My fear of Copic over-saturation resulted in a lack of proper blending in the clothing, but rather than get negative or frustrated over it I'm just excited to do better next time. I am determined not to lose my joy during any blessed moment of crafting this year!

This sweetheart is Little LuLu by Lissy Bee Stamps, which is Elisabeth Bell's newest stamp adventure! I was blessed to win this from Elisabeth herself at the launch festivities and I was beyond excited to receive this in the mail from her. It felt extra magical. ♥ I love her to bits! I was a little heavy handed with the Glamour Dust accents, if there can be such a thing. ;) LuLu is stamped upon a Spellbinders Labels Four die and layered upon a Gold Labels Four.

I used several other new goodies in my simple little card, all of which I adore. The middle panels are made with the Die-Versions Whispers Butterfly Punch Border, which was a birthday gift from my sweetest friend. ♥ I've been anxious to use it, but had to finish Christmas cards first. :o) I love it so much! I used the die to emboss the purple layer beneath, pushing the butterflies through the openings a bit. Tattered Lace Beloved Borders trim the fluttery panels.

My new flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, including the gorgeous purple carnations and lily. Cheery Lynn Designs Mini Fanciful Flourishes frolic beneath. The sweet butterfly charm tucked within the blossoms is also new, as are the beautiful Maja Design papers. The floral and heart designs are from Ska Vi Ta En Fika, while the scrolling ivy is from Coffee in the Arbour.

The pretty hearts are Cheery Lynn Two of Hearts, which I topped with a pearl heart for triple the love. The sweet sentiment is from My Craft Spot's Tiny Tags 3, which I stamped upon a Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennant. The fluttering border on top of my card is the Joy! Crafts Butterfly Edge, one of my favorite dies ever. It is layered for a slight shadow effect.

Thank you for fluttering on by! I wish you a beautifully blessed day. :o)

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Hello, sweet friends! I hope you're having a sparkly week! I'm posting on the lovely My Craft Spot blog today, sharing this whimsical shaped card. Many of you have left such sweet comments on Kimberly's store-closing announcement on her blog, which warmed my heart. She is a treasure.

One of the many things I've always loved about Kimberly's products is that they inspire a journey. They're never something I squeeze in at the end of a project to complete it... rather, they are the beginning and encourage a heartfelt vision all on their own.

Today's crafty adventure features the fabulous Postage Stamps set, which is versatile and fun! (As I type this, there are still a few available for purchase.)

There are so many beautiful sentiment choices on this set, but I naturally gravitated to LOVE for my butterfly shaped card. This gorgeous svg file (Beautiful Butterfly) is from Cardmaking Paradise. Extra love is tucked within the wings, where tiny purple hearts guide this special messenger.

I layered two postage stamps to double up on love, as this butterfly has a heart as big as Kimberly's. :o) The papers are from Pion Design's My Precious Daughter collection and I used Wild Orchid Crafts pearl sprays for the antennae.

Everything on my stamp is included in the set. The faded script background was first stamped on a scrap paper to use up most of the ink, as I wanted it to look well-traveled. Above my sentiment are classic postage goodies, made sweeter by Kimberly's circular options. (I forgot to stamp the actual circle around just for you, but of course she didn't neglect such a detail!) The bottom border is one of several available to add extra touches of beauty.

The stamps were cut out with the coordinating Postage Stamp Metal Dies and tucked within flourishing blossoms of love. ♥ The roses are from Wild Orchid Crafts, which are placed atop Cheery Lynn Designs' Mini Fanciful Flourishes. Recollections pearls are sprinkled within the vines and wings. To include a message on a pretty tag, a pocket is added to the back of the butterfly... enabling this to sit out as a home decor piece, if desired.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Happy New Year, my sweet friends! I pray you all have a blessed year of sparkling love and joy. :o) I was away for the holiday season to spend time with family and rest my healing arm, and am happy to be back to light crafting. :o)

Before I share my favorite creations from 2014 for a fun linky party, I have some sad news. Unfortunately, My Craft Spot is soon closing. :( Kimberly is the sweetest store owner I've ever had the privilege to know. Being on her Design Team has been a dream come true and I'm still stunned at its unexpected ending. I'm so thankful that Kimberly wanted me on her team and I will cherish every memory made... and will forever use her beautiful products.

Kimberly is having a huge sale before closing, so grab what you can before they are gone for good. Many things have sold out, but there are still a lot of fabulous products available at excellent prices! (You must enter through the links below to activate sale prices!)

Now for some crafty reminiscing! The lovely Debby is hosting a linky where everyone shares their favorite 2014 creations! Oodles of fun, right?! :o)

One reason I'm putting both of these things in one post is because most of my favorite projects used My Craft Spot goodies. Being on her team was a highlight of my year and I think that was portrayed in my work for her... so I'm including my favorites in this post to fill it with the warm fuzzies Kimberly's products inspired. :o)

I've opted to put my selections in two categories: my five favorite cards and 3D projects. Click on the title to visit the project posts for details. :o)

If you endured all of that, thank you for sticking with me! I have been truly blessed to have met some beautiful friends on this crafty journey and I look forward to seeing all of your inspiring projects this year! Have a sparkly weekend, friends! :o)

Unless otherwise indicated, all content on my site is my original work. My creations are shared for your enjoyment and inspiration. Feel free to use as inspiration for personal use, but please do not submit for competitions, publications, or claim as your own. Thank you!

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